Beijing Ancient Bell Museum reopens after restoration

The Ancient Bell Museum in Beijing reopened to the public on Oct 16, after spending two years and over 30 million CNY (about $4.9 million USD) on renovation. The Ancient Bell Temple Museum is the only one of its kind in China.

The museum is in Dazhong Temple of Beijing's Haidian district. Built in 1733 during the Ming Dynasty, the Dazhong Temple was where emperors presided over rituals praying for rain. The local people preferred to call it the Dazhong Temple because it housed a giant Buddhist bell cast in the Yongle Period (around 1420) of the Ming Dynasty. At 5.6 meters in height, and weighing 46.6 tons, this huge bell is one of the largest in the world.